Axate’s platform enables users to pay casually for digital products – without subscription – for any participating publication. However, the Coronavirus epidemic is placing severe strain on advertising revenues at a time when providing reliable local news is a crucial public service, especially for vulnerable people.
There are also potential threats to print sales as more people are reluctant to go shopping; as well as the looming challenge of distribution if normal transport arrangements are disrupted.
Axate has therefore developed a new function which allows casual payment for online local news content to be optional. Publishers can ask their users to pay if they are able, thus supporting local journalism without locking anybody out from the coverage and local information they need. This will help maintain the sustainability of local press during the crisis period when demand is high, advertising revenue is low and the need for reliable reporting is paramount.
The Axate digital wallet works automatically on every participating site, enabling a network of publishers and users to be built quickly.
Using knowledge gained from existing implementations, and knowledge already gained from our participation in the Nesta Future News Pilot Fund projects, Axate can offer a simple template for how to get started.
Axate CEO Dominic Young said: "Supporting local journalism has never been more important. We are pulling out all the stops to help newspaper businesses and readers to work together to keep local news alive. Any publisher who wants to participate should contact us at publishers@axate.com [1] ".
(https://www.axate.com [2])
